If you’re looking for pieces on Jack Idema and his team, please click on this link.

Read Jack’s piece–The Lords of War. Jack called it, back in October of 2005, and it has all come down exactly as he predicted. I notice no more comments from the Smear Jack Cabal peanut gallery. Figures.

Although this isn’t how the piece begins, I thought I’d jump in and point out his comparison of Afghanistan to Iraq, and how in Afghanistan, we fought alongside the mujhahideen and made a difference.

Afghanistan—is the forgotten land, again. Nobody seems to care much about Afghanistan anymore. Like so many times before, it is left for the history books. Iraq has dominated the news for more than two years. Networks and news agencies have a meager, barely visible presence in this war torn region. Exploding cars, carnage, and bodies make for bigger audiences. Iraq is better for television, and the print journalists follow the cameramen. It is our fascination with the morbid and violent. Bad news sells, good news doesn’t. Everyone knows that.

But in its forgotten niche of the world, where Iraq stands as a perfect example of how not to fight, win, and then lose a war, Afghanistan stands as the one place where we actually did make life better. Where the people really did want democracy, and where, unlike the Iraqi’s the Afghans really did fight by our side to free their country.

My friend Lieutenant Colonel Jim Morris, author of War Story, the definitive book on the Vietnam experience, asked me “does anyone even give a damn about Afghanistan anymore?” Most Americans probably do not. If we aren’t being bombarded with headlines and breaking news, and with images of blood and twisted metal, we quickly sweep the old news from our cluttered psyche.

So here is a tip. We better start caring. Iraq insurgents are flooding into Afghanistan. Afghan Taliban extremists are being trained in Iraq and sent back to Afghanistan to import a new strategy against Afghan democracy. That strategy is car bombs, IED’s improvised explosive devices, and suicide bombings; something new in Afghanistan after 25 years of war. If we don’t start caring Afghanistan will very quickly go from a miracle of democracy to the explosions and flames of defeat. Our defeat—and the Afghans’ defeat. Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida movement cannot allow Afghanistan to be a success. This is clear in a letter just released by ODNI, Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The letter, dated July 9, 2005, between two senior al-Qaida leaders, Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was obtained during counterterrorism operations in Iraq. While its contents may come as a revelation for the ODNI, it is something those of us fighting in Afghanistan have known for years. Al-Qaida is working hard to open up a two front full scale insurgency against America, and Afghanistan in the second front.

Jack’s observation about how the insurgency is flooding back into Afghanistan through the recently re-opened Pakistani border and from Iraq is an important and frightening one. The other point he makes that we need to pay attention to is Al Qaeda’s two-prong approach; a full scale insurgency against America on two fronts; both Afghanistan and Iraq.

In the Lords of War Jack thoughtfully compares the brave mujahideen who fought in Afghanistan for their country for over 20 years to our founding fathers and their struggle for freedom. Consider what is ahead for them as they continue to rebuild what Karzai has destroyed, and they work to take their country back from the Taliban/Pashtuns who were easing themselves back into power. The fight of the Afghan people against the Taliban and Al Qaeda is also ours, and we must recognize the necessity of wrangling the power away from President Karzai, who by all appearance now, has lost his struggle to reinstate the Taliban with American government complicity under cover.

Jack now compares the late great Massoud and President Karzai, and explains why Massoud’s aspirations for Afghanistan continue to live on.

Like Washington, Massoud was a selfless defender of freedom in his country. He wanted democracy and he demanded liberty. He willingly sacrificed everything to get it for his people. Massoud never allowed a road to be built to his village. He often said the last road built in Afghanistan would be the road to his village. Massoud showed pride in the fact that he lived in an austere mud hut with the worst road in Afghanistan running to his door. George Washington had let Mount Vernon go into a virtual state of disrepair and ruin during the revolution. Massoud did the same with his own house and village.

Under Hamid Karzai’s leadership, the first new road was built to Karzai’s village and birthplace. It was already the best road in Afghanistan—the Taliban had made sure of that. The road to Kandahar was the longest and still the most difficult to build. At a staggering cost I might add. Often said in jest by US Special Forces soldiers, but with much truth, the Kandahar road accomplished little more than giving the Taliban a fast smooth ride to Kabul. If the purpose of building roads was to boost the economy and rebuild the country, the best road to have built first would have been the road between Jalalabad and Kabul, which was the principle route of supplies and trade. But if the logical choice was made then Karzai’s relatives couldn’t visit his palace in comfort. But like America’s first president, Karzai is keen on capes, chapan capes. Didn’t someone once say, “Senator, I worked with John F. Kennedy; I knew John Kennedy. Senator, you’re no John Kennedy.” Well, President Karzai, I know you, and I knew Commander Massoud, and you sure as hell aren’t him. Nor will you ever pass through, no less stand, in the shadow of George Washington.

While Massoud’s hope for Afghanistan was one of liberation and democracy for all people, he was also realistic about politics, diplomacy, and cultural and religious influences. Massoud understood that it would be a long struggle and worked day and night to make it a reality before his time left on earth was over. Those around him never realized how soon he would be taken. His loss for Afghanistan was no less than America’s loss of John F. Kennedy, who died before his dream was realized.

Read the whole thing. When I first read this, it was inspiring and compelling. The second and third read have been equally so.

As much as the American media has tried so desperately to depict the Northern Alliance as “warlords” guilty of any number of human rights violations, the reality of the situation is surprisingly different. The reality is this: When faced with the Taliban versus the Northern Alliance, the people spoke at the polls and the Northern Alliance claimed victory in Parliament. The struggle of 20+ years is not over; because Karzai and his enablers (the American Government) granted the Taliban “amnesty”. Unbelievably, the Taliban have been sitting among our valiant Northern Alliance mujahideen; because they were allowed to participate in the elections. Some are murderers of tens of thousands of Afghans, members of the Taliban, who would have done it all over again had it not been for the people who still carry Massoud’s dream of freedom and democracy in their war torn hearts. While carrying the healing bullet and schrapnel wounds, some sustained from cavalry charges alongside American Special Forces who won the country back in 2001, they have now taken the battle to Parliament. Let’s pray they continue winning.

Watch for some incredible news about Jack, Brent and Ed and their release. We are cautiously optimistic and expect that’s it’s just a matter of time before they are freed. We are also awaiting a huge change in policy- that electricity will be turned back on at Pulacharke prison…for GOOD. Say bye-bye to specially-paid-for-privileges (like electricity [that Americans take for granted] for the American Embassy and others at the peoples’ expense!

Yes, friends, it is time to reflect, to pray, and for more optimism, because we are on the brink of an incredible announcement where Jack and his men are concerned–from the new victorious mujahideen in Afghanistan–our true allies.

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